Stretcher



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STREICHER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. I9, Isle.

1,332,624. Patented Mar. 2,1920.

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ATTOR N EY INVENTOR DELBERT C. GOODWIN, OF FLAT ROCK, INDIANA.

STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed February 19, 1918. Serial No. 218,144;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DELBERT C. Goonwm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flat Rock, in the county of Shelby and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stretchers, and more particularly to a stretcher which may be adjusted to provide a reclining chair for a patient.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a stretcher comprising a frame and a pad which may be quickly and easily detached from, or secured in, the frame and is adapted to receive a patient so as to permit removal thereof from one place to another. A further object is to provide a stretcher which may be readily adjusted so as to form a reclining chair for a convalescent patient. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side view of a stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention as used for moving a patient from one place to another.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a stretcher.

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary detail top plan view.

The main frame of the stretcher is of substantially rectangular shape being provided with the side bars 1 and 2 and end bars 3 and 1; The main frame receives a supplemental back frame designated generally by 5 comprising the side arms 6 and 7 and end bar 8 secured to the outer ends thereof. Arms 6 and 7 lie next inside the side bars 1 and 2 of the main frame, and are pivotally secured at their inner ends to the side bars at the midlength of the latter by the bolts 9. being spaced a short distance from the side bars of the main frame so as to insure smooth operation and prevent interference between the two frames. The space between the arms of the back frame and the side bars of the main frame accommodates the foldable braces 11 which are composed of two sections hinged together at their inner ends having their outer ends pivotally secured to the side bars of the main frame and the side arms of the back frame, these braces being of standard construction and acting to hold the back frame in raised position as indicated in Fig. 1. The side arms of the back frame are a little longer than half the length of the main frame. They rise gradually from their pivots to their outer ends which overlie the end bar 4 of the main frame, and the end bar 8 of the back frame parallels the end bar A as shown. Therefore, the back frame may not by any accident be swung through the main frame. When it rests upon the end bar 4: thereof as shown in Fig. l, the bed is substantially level. Also the hinge of each brace 11 rests upon the end bar 4: of the main frame as will be seen in Fig. 1 and is not only out of the way, but cannot be displaced. Finally, this specific construction prevents the back frame from interfering with the straps 26 to be described.

End bar 3 of the main frame is provided, in its inner face with spaced inwardly projecting eyes 12, and the bar 8 of back frame 5 is provided with similar eyes 13 which are positioned somewhat more closely together than the eyes 12. Arms 6 and 7 of the back frame are also provided with inwardly projecting spaced eyes 14 which are in alinement transversely of the frame, and the side bars 1 and 2 of the main frame beyond the back frame are also provided with the spaced eyes 15, in alinement transversely of the frame. The eyes 14 are adapted to receive hooks 16 secured to the ends of transverse fabric strips 17 and the latter are secured by stitching or in any other suitable manner, to the underface of a pad 18 mounted on the frame of the stretcher. The eyes 15 receive hooks 19 carried by the transverse stripsv 20 which extend the full width of the main frame beyond the inner ends of the arms of the back frame. Eyes 12 and 13 receive similar hooks secured to the ends of the longitudinal strips 21. Pad 18 is provided, at each corner, with an eye 22 which receives a turn button 23 secured to the main frame at the foot end thereof, similar turn buttons being provided at the head or outer end of the back frame, these turn buttons serving to efiectually prevent slipping of the pad on the stretcher.

The fabric strips and hooks engaging into the eyes carried by the main and back frames cooperate to detachably secure and support the pad 18. 'When it is desired to remove the pad, this may be readily accomplished by disengaging the hooks from the eyes and turning the turn buttons into operative osition, after which the pad may be rea ily lifted from the stretcher. The patient may be supported in a sitting position by raising the back frame into its uppermost position as indicated in Fig. 1. By detaching the hooks at the ends of the longitudinal strips 21fr0m the eyes 12, the boat portion of the pad may be lowered, thus permittlng the patient to sit upright, as indicated. If desired, though not necessarily, thepad 18 may be provided with the usual opening 2% which is positioned between the longitudinal strips 21 and the innermost transverse strip 17 and the innermost strip 20, these'strips forming in effect a supporting frame inclosing} this opening.

achr side bar of the main frame is provided, in its upper face with upwardly projecting eyes 25. These eyes are adapted to receive hooks provided at the lower ends of straps :26 carried by a cross bar 27 which may be connected by means of. a hook 28, rope 29, and block 30, to a suitable carriage 31. This carriage may be mounted for movement on a track 32 provided on the wall or ceiling of a room for this purpose. By providing a track in a ward of a hospital and using this stretcher, a patient may be readily placed upon the stretcher and then raised and moved from one location to another, being supported by the pad 18 in a reclining position, or, if preferred, a sitting position. This stretcher may also be used by means of the track and rope and pulley for lifting a patient from a bed and supporting him While the bed is being changed.

What I' claim is:

In a device of the character described, the combination of a rectangular frame, a substantially U-shaped supplemental back frame pivotally mounted within the rectangular frame and extending slightly beyond one end thereof, transversely extending supporting strips connected to the sides of the supplemental frame throughout practically the entire length thereof, transversely extending strips connected to the inner portions of the main frame contiguous to the inner end of the supplemental frame but remote from the remaining end of the main frame, and longitudinally extending strips connected to all of said transverse strips and to the end of said supplemental frame and releasably to the opposite end of the main frame, whereby the device may constitute a substantially horizontal support or the supplemental frame may be swung upwardly with the longitudinal; strips detached to hang downwardly to constitute a chair like support.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DELBERT C. GOODWIN.

Witnesses MAURICE DoUoLAss, Emma BASSETI. 

